Have you noticed that the music you want to listen to differs depending on the circumstances? For example:
- Going on a power walk or a run – fast paced, energizing music
- Feeling stressed – quiet, relaxing music or perhaps you prefer upbeat
- Broken relationship – love songs, usually about break ups where you can indulge in a little self compassion, have a cry and let it all out (most likely while eating ice-cream and/or chocolate)!
- Happy – upbeat music
- Sad – slower, moving songs
- Angry – darker music
We tend to listen to music that reflects our mood. Sometimes though, listening to music can affect our emotions and moods. In fact, music can actually benefit our health and well-being as a whole! Here’s 11 benefits of music for our emotions, mood & general health and well-being:
- Memories – A certain song can transport us back to a certain time, a certain place, and even sometimes to a particular moment with a certain person. We can even feel the emotions that we felt at that time. A song can take us back to a period in our life – a year level at school, the year one of our kids were born, or the year when a big event happened – like the death of Princess Diana, for example.
- Productive – Listening to music can help some people to be happier and more productive at work, especially if it is music of their choice.
- Stress Relief – Listening and playing music reduces chronic stress by lowering the stress hormone cortisol.
- Improve Confidence – Music can make you feel more hopeful, powerful, and in control of your life.
- Healing – Listening to sad music has benefits too. If you’re going through a tough time, listening to sad music is cathartic. It can help you get in touch with your emotions to help you heal.
- Learning – Music can help you to learn! Music in schools helps children improve language development. Music therapists use music to actively support people as they strive to improve their health, functioning and well-being.
- Performance – Music can get you in the right mood for peak performance, be it for an athletic activity, the performing arts, or even an exam.
- Emotion – Music can make us cry and it can make us laugh, that is the power it has over us!
- Mood – Music has the ability to lift our mood when we are sad. Ever found yourself unwittingly tapping your foot to the beat of some music or nodding your head along to a rhythm? On the flip side, the overpowering feelings of sadness and melancholy that you can get when listening to some songs are amplified because they resonate with your feelings. Sometimes this is more meaningful to your growth or understanding than happy songs.
- Social – Music is often a social activity, making it together can help bring us together and give us much joy. Singing in a choir for example is a popular activity as is general singalongs with a guitar or singing together around a camp fire!
- Health – Music is good for our health! It improves our visual and verbal skills; keeps an aging brain healthy; makes us happier; can help to stabilise our heartbeat, pulse rate and blood pressure; improves sleep quality; boosts your immune system; reduces pain; and reduces Depression & Anxiety.
I personally have a strong affinity for music. I’ve always enjoyed singing. When I was a child, I longed to be a member of the Young Talent Time team. I envied those American kids that were members of the Mickey Mouse Club. I used to do some singing as a young adult and took it up again as a member of a group of Mums and Dads (when the kids were little) who got together regularly to rehearse and we sang at some parties. I used to learn the piano as a child and I taught myself how to play the guitar. I’ve always, always loved listening to music and really enjoy watching live music! These days, I just sing around home, sometimes tinkle on the piano and haven’t touched the guitar in many years! One thing I have done to indulge my love of music lately is to introduce Music Monday’s over on the blog’s Facebook page. It’s on every Monday and I post 2-3 You Tube video’s throughout the day of songs I like and write a little bit of info about them. It’s a bit of fun and great to revisit songs that bring back some fab memories! 🙂
I’ll finalise by saying THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC! Music is a wonderful gift for us all. I really couldn’t imagine a world without it. Speaking of ‘thank you for the music’ I couldn’t possibly say those words and not include the fabulous ABBA song of the same name now could I?! Enjoy!
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything – Plato
Do you love music too? Have you got a favourite song or a song that you love for the memories that it brings back to you? Ever been in a choir or done some singing?
Ciao for now,
Linking up with Kylie Purtell for #IBOT
18 Comments
I’ve always had a thing for theme songs. I tend to choose them weekly. I also have a soundtrack for my life that I blogged about a little while ago now. I think my theme song this week with several events on, after a long stint in hibernation mode, might have to be ‘losing my religion’ by REM. That’s me in the corner… that’s me in the spotlight.
Wow what an interesting concept! I’d love to know what your theme song is each week. I’ll have to go find that post you wrote about the soundtrack for your life. Yes I think ‘Losing my Religion’ by REM sounds very appropriate for your life at the moment! Clever! 🙂
Yes I love the power music has. Can affect us in so many ways as you showed. Loved hearing about your musical past.
It sure does have power. My musical past could have been much more if I’d have had a stronger self belief and sense of confidence! However, I did have some wonderful times! 🙂
One of my fav ABBA songs too. Music is a very emotional thing and get you connected in so many ways.
It’s a great song, isn’t it? I love it! Yes music is very emotional. I feel music very deeply.
Music has always played a very big part of my life, though recently I had forgotten just how much I loved exercising to music. Had a great walk on Sunday that saw me smashing my PBs, all because of music!!
Exercising to music is the best! It really helps energise and get you in the mood. The only exception is sometimes when I go walking I prefer to listen to the sounds of nature. Other times though, I’m wanting music. It depends on my mood! Good on you for smashing your PBs! 🙂 xo
I wanted to be part of YTT too, but more for the dancing. I cannot sing at all!! My husband can sing. He reminds me a little of Stereophonics. His Dad was in the Brisbane Chorale and his grandfather was also a singer. I’m hoping it will get passed onto the girls.
Oh I loved watching YTT and so wanted to be one of them. Not sure I’m a great dancer though! lol Hope your girls get the singing gene – singing can bring such joy! 🙂 xo
I agree with all the benefits you’ve listed Mim. I’ve used music to help me through so many hard times and it’s also a great motivator for cleaning the house haha, maybe if I put it on more often I’d have a tidier house come to think of it. #teamIBOT
It’s helped me through many a tough time too Toni. Oh so that’s where my problem lies …. I should have music on for cleaning!! Good tip there! lol xo
Music really play a big part of our lives, we found music to connect our feelings, from being happy, sad, inspired or what ever feeling we have. Thank you for sharing this article.
Music is a big part of my life too! I’m glad you enjoyed the post – thank you! 🙂
That’s a great song for your post Min! I agree music can play different roles in our lives and I couldn’t live without it! A great post for #ztt . I’ve actually joined in for the first time today with an older post which I’ve just updated.
I love that Abba song Deb! I couldn’t live without music either. It’s interwoven into my life and memories and it helps lift my spirits when they need lifting. 🙂 So glad you’ve linked up for #ZTT – it’s a great post! Thankyou! xo
I love music, Min and I’m am ABBA fan too! I can go through all the emotions depending on what I’m listening to but I couldn’t imagine a life without music. I don’t listen to music when I run but I love it in the car when I can sing away to my heart’s content. I always wanted to be on YTT too! I did learn the piano and did ballet, jazz, tap & highland dancing so plenty of music growing up. I also had my own dance studio and always enjoyed preparing for the annual recital. Thanks for #ZTT and have a beautiful week. xx
I love ABBA Sue, and love this song! I couldn’t imagine life without music either. I’m a car singer too – sometimes embarassing myself when I realise I’m stopped at traffic lights and people are looking at me like I’m a crazy woman! lol You’ve told me before about your dance studio but I’d love to hear more about those days one day. I did a bit of ballet when I was a child and loved dancing at discos and dances as a teen but was never a dancer. Loved the singing though! Enjoy the rest of the week Sue! xo